Family
by ErinMacTaggart
Summary: After the Doctor leaves an elderly Clara behind on Christmas, he discovers an unknown connection to his granddaughter, Susan.
1. Chapter 1

'You would think that this would get easier, after all this time' the Doctor thought to himself. He'd just left his Clara, for probably the last time. She had aged so very much. His Impossible Girl, she'd saved his life countless times. He couldn't help but notice the similarities from their last Christmas together. That Christmas HE had been the old one that needed help with the cracker. While he'd have loved to have her with him, at her age it was just impossible. So he left her with a kiss on her cheek and a promise to look after himself, then he got into his TARDIS and left.

The Doctor went out into orbit for a while. To contemplate what he was going to do. Should he go find Gallifrey? He hated being alone. More and more he missed the Ponds, but he had changed so much. He wasn't Amy's Raggedy Man anymore, he was just an old grouch. Though she probably would have enjoyed the new Scottish accent he'd somehow acquired. The Ponds. Maybe he could find a way to get River out of the Library? She had told him once that she knew all of his faces. That had to mean this one too, right? The Doctor sighed. He set the coordinates for London and the TARDIS shot into the Vortex.

The TARDIS landed in 22nd century London, which was an odd choice, but the Doctor didn't think much of it since he'd forgotten to add a date when he'd punched in the coordinates. The TARDIS never took him somewhere that he wasn't needed. He decided to look around a little and went in search of a good coffee shop. He found a nice little book store that sold coffee and decided to go in. After a few cups of coffee and an armload of books to add to the library on the TARDIS, the Doctor walked outside. Rounding the corner to the alley where he had parked the TARDIS, he found a young woman, probably in her mid-twenties, slowly walking around the TARDIS, with a grin on her face. The Doctor sighed, 'Another pudding-brain' he thought to himself.

"Can I help you?" he asked, impatiently.

"Are you The Doctor?" she asked him, with the sound of awe in her voice.

"I am the Doctor. What do you want?"

"My Gran used to tell me stories of you, when I was a little girl. The Doctor and his TARDIS. Time and Relative Dimension in Space. I always thought she was just telling tales, but here you both are."

"Who are you?" The Doctor asked her, gruffly. He hated not knowing things.

"You can call me Tori, if you like, it's easier to pronounce that my given name, Arkytior."

The books in the Doctor's arms, fell to the ground. He could only stare at the young woman in shock.

"Arkytior?"

"Yes. I was named for my Gran, though she normally went by Susan."


	2. Chapter 2

"Your grandmother is Susan? Susan Campbell?" the Doctor asked in a whisper.

"Was. Yes. She died five years ago. She raised me though, with help from my Aunt Barbara."

The Doctor looked at the ground. He'd always meant to go find Susan again. Tell her that he was so sorry for the death of Alex. He was a good lad. He just couldn't bear to tell her about what happened to Gallifrey. He looked back up at Tori. She was watching him with an understanding look on her face.

"She knew you loved her. She told us how you'd left her behind with Granddad. She was very happy with him."

The Doctor smiled at her.

"I've missed so much, Tori. Would you like to come in and visit? I have some things to put away, but we could have some tea and a nice chat." He bent over to scoop up the dropped books. He looked up and found her smiling at him.

"I would love to." She reached inside the neck of her shirt & pulled out a thin chain, with a small key on the end. "Gran found this once, about ten years ago. She said it was probably a key to your TARDIS." She inserted the key and it turned easily. She laughed and turned to hold the door open for the Doctor. "Good old Gran. She was too smart sometimes."

The Doctor grinned. His Susan was always bright.

* * *

><p>"So which one do you belong to, then? Ian, Barbara or Young David?" The Doctor asked her. They were sitting in the TARDIS kitchen.<p>

Tori glanced at the floor, uncomfortable with how quickly the conversation had gotten to this point. "My father was Alex, actually." She mumbled, glancing at him to gauge his reaction.

"Alex? But the lad was so young when he died."

"I know. Gran told me about that. You shouldn't feel bad, Doctor. My father had a classmate that he was 'more than just fond of' as Gran used to say. Marie was her name. She died giving birth to me and her family felt it was disgraceful that she'd had a child out of wedlock, so they gave me to Gran. Trying to hide me, I suppose. My father didn't even know about me."

"If you are Alex' child, then you are part-Gallifreyan."

"Gran believed I may have gotten more Gallifreyan genes than my father did, actually. She had no way to find out though. She didn't trust taking me anywhere for testing, she was afraid someone would try to keep me if they knew I was part alien."

"What made Susan think you have more? Alex was half-Gallifreyan and only had 7% of Gallifreyan genomes."

"Well" She said with a pause, "I have two hearts."


	3. Chapter 3

The Doctor stared at her, almost uncomprehendingly. "You have two hearts?"

"Yes. Gran thought maybe I might be descended from more time travelers on my mother's side. Maybe that extra bit of 'time radiation' as she called it, enhanced my Gallifreyan traits. I don't know if this is true or not though, I've only met my mother's family a couple times, so we don't really have much to do with each other, but my grandmother always seemed more at ease with my existence than my grandfather did."

"Tori, I know we've just met, but would you mind if I ran a few tests?"

"Of course not, Doctor. I was rather hoping you would. I don't know much about myself and I'd like to know more."

"Ok. Just follow me."

The Doctor led Tori though the many hallways until they came to the infirmary. "Just have a seat up on that bed, please."

"Alright, Doctor."

He grinned at her. "I think I'm more than 'Doctor' don't you?"

"Ok, how about great-great-granddad?" she said with a laugh.

He chuckled, "Or just Granddad if you're ok with that."

"Sounds great to me" she smiled, "Ok, so what are you doing first, Granddad?"

"Well first, I'd like to listen to your hearts, if you don't mind. It's not often I get to meet another person with two of them."

He pulled out his stethoscope and put it on the right side of her chest. *thump-thump thump-thump* Then he moved it to the left side. *thump-thump thump-thump*.

"Unbelievable." He said in a hushed voice. He couldn't believe that this girl existed. "Alright, let's get a few vials of blood and I'd like to get an x-ray, then we'll go from there." He told her.

* * *

><p>An hour later, the test results were finished. The Doctor looked at the computer screen in amazement. "According to the blood I drew from you, you have 86% Gallifreyan genomes. Very nearly full-blooded."<p>

The TARDIS hummed and the Doctor smiled.

"Did she say something?" Tori asked him.

"She said she is very glad to meet you." The Doctor said, fondly. He patted the wall.

"Tori. I'd really like to meet your mother's family if you're comfortable with that. I have to know how you came to be."

"That's alright, Granddad. I thought you might. Would you mind if I rested for a while first though? I haven't been sleeping well, so I'm exhausted."

"Of course. Let's see what kind of room that TARDIS can come up with for you, hmm?" He held out his arm and Tori linked hers through it and they walked down the halls until the TARDIS started humming. In front of them was a door with beautifully carved roses on it.

"Arkytior means roses." Tori said with a smile.

"Yes it does," he whispered, "but that's not all the TARDIS has done. This was your grandmother's room."

Tori glanced at the Doctor with excitement and pushed open the door. Inside was beautiful room in shades of red and dark pink. It also looked like a retro teen dream come true.

"Sorry for the decade, your grandmother loved the 1960's on Earth."

"I love it. Thank you Granddad! And thank you, dear TARDIS," she said, patting the doorframe. To which, the TARDIS hummed happily.

"She says, 'Welcome home, Arkytior'."


	4. Chapter 4

After leaving Tori in her room, the Doctor headed to the console. He was saddened to hear of Susan's death. Why hadn't she regenerated? Ah, but his Susan loved her pudding-brain humans, she likely wouldn't have been able to stand changing and having them not know her. She probably withheld the regeneration so that she could die like her husband and son had before her. Alex, what a good young man he was. The Doctor had been so proud to have Alex as family. He was even going to take him to Gallifrey to study, but Alex decided to stay on Earth.

The Doctor went up the stairs and relaxed in his chair, then started sorting through his new books. With Tori asleep, he had time to get his purchases organized.

Tori. Arkytior. How was she even possible? Although he knew Susan might be around. Somewhere. Alex was her only biological child, though. Ian, Barbara and David were adopted, so they were human. Susan was the last living Time Lord besides himself, well except for the Master who just refused to stay dead, but now he had a living biological descendent asleep onboard his TARDIS. Amazing. 86%. She might even be able to regenerate, especially if she were to stay with him and travel in the vortex. When Jenny had been created on Messaline, he'd been unsure how to feel. Seeing her reminded him of all of his lost children and grandchildren on Gallifrey, but he'd started to love her anyway, then she died. Now he had a living connection to those lost children. He was 'Granddad' again. He wasn't sure how to feel about that, but he knew he loved her and would do whatever he could to protect her.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, the Doctor was just started to doze in his chair when Tori came into the console room, rubbing her eyes. "Hello, Granddad," she said, then noticed he'd almost been asleep. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."<p>

"It's alright, Tori. I don't really need much sleep. I just tend to nod off when I'm bored. It's a bit awkward when it happens when I'm standing."

Tori laughed. "I don't need much sleep either, though I always needed a bit more than Gran."

"I don't think I ever saw Susan sleep, now that you mention it." The Doctor said with a laugh. "Right, then. Where is your mother's family from?"

"Chiswick, mainly, though they've branched out all over. My grandparents live there though and they'd probably know the most about who might have time-traveled."

'Chiswick?' The Doctor thought. He hadn't really been there since he'd wiped Donna's mind. He couldn't bear going back there after that. He'd felt so guilty.

"Chiswick it is," he told Tori, "Today's date."

"Alright. Then let's go!" Tori said, excited to go somewhere in the TARDIS for the first time.

"Hang on." The Doctor told her with a grin. Then he set the TARDIS to their destination.

The TARDIS landed easily, in the same spot it used to land in, across from Donna's old house. The TARDIS recognized the coordinates and landed in the most likely place. The Doctor opened the doors and couldn't help but stare at the empty, debilitated house across the street. The house that his best friend had once lived in.

"Oh, wow. We're right down the street from my grandparents' house." Tori told him. "C'mon. It's this way." She looped her arm through his and started leading him up the street.


	5. Chapter 5

Tori stopped a few blocks away and stared at a quaint looking townhouse. 'Green' it said on the mailbox. The Doctor didn't know any Greens, but he let Tori lead him to the door. Tori rang the doorbell and they waited. When the door opened, an elderly man looked at Tori, grunted a hello, and then led them inside.

"Rita! Marie's girl is here!" he yelled down the hallway, then he went back to his chair to watch his football match.

Tori leaned toward the Doctor, "Like I said, my grandfather never really forgave my mother for having an illegitimate child", she whispered. Nodding at the man in the chair. "It's nice to see you again, Henry." Tori said in a louder voice. To which she got an answering grunt. There was some shuffling coming from the hallway, so Tori and the Doctor went back out to see Rita coming down the hall.

"Oh, Tori!" she said with a smile, "It's been a few months hasn't it?"

"Yes it has." Tori replied, giving the woman a hug.

"You look more and more like your mother every day." Rita said, sadly.

"I know. Gran used to tell me so. I'd like you to meet the Doctor." Tori told her, gesturing toward him.

"The Doctor?" Rita said, a knowing look in her eyes. "Please, come with me to the kitchen. I just put some tea on and I made sugar biscuits yesterday."

She led them down the hall to the kitchen, where they sat at the table. She served them some tea and took a seat.

"You're here to learn about my family, I presume?" she asked the Doctor.

"If you don't mind my asking." He told her.

"First, could you tell me what your relationship is with my granddaughter?"

"Well, that's a bit complicated…" he began.

Tori rolled her eyes, "He's my great-great grandfather on Gran's side." Tori told her. "We've decided he'd just go by Granddad though."

Rita's eyes started twinkling. "I was told stories of you, you know. You're a family legend on my mother's side. They were the Temples."

"Temple? As in the Nobles as well?"

"Yes. I'm descended from Shaun and Donna Temple-Noble." She said with a smile. "I was told that if a mysterious Doctor were to ever show up, that he might be interested in knowing that Donna's grandson, married a daughter of Jack Harkness. Both surnames are now lost because each generation had only girls, but I was the oldest of the oldest, so I now own the house down the street, such as it is."

The Doctor turned to Tori, "I believe we have figured out who the time-travelers in your family were."

"Did you know them, Granddad?" she asked him.

"I did. Donna was a companion of mine, a long time ago. She was once the most important woman in the universe, but I had to wipe her mind to save her life. She never remembered our adventures. Jack started travelling with me even before Donna, though he was a time-traveler in his own right. Vortex manipulator, nasty way to travel."

Rita looked at the Doctor with a smile. "It's amazing to hear you talk about them. I was told that Grandmother Donna was a riot to be around."

"Her grandfather, Wilfred was a good man too."

* * *

><p>After visiting for another hour, the Doctor and Tori decided that it was time to leave.<p>

"Please come back any time, Doctor. I would love to hear more stories." Rita told him. "Don't mind Henry, he's just an old grouch, but his heart is in the right place."

"Thank you, Rita. I'd be honored to tell you anything you'd like to know."

The Doctor and Tori started back down the hallway, passing the doorway to the den. "Goodbye Henry!" Tori said loudly.

"Goodbye, girl. Stay safe." He told her with a grumble.

They started back down the street towards the TARDIS. "Where to next, Granddad?" Tori asked the Doctor.

"Torchwood." He told her. They got into the TARDIS and the Doctor set the coordinates for Cardiff.


	6. Chapter 6

"So, Torchwood? You know that it was basically destroyed about 50 years ago, right?"

"Basically. Not completely. I have a feeling that I may know who's keeping it going." The Doctor told her. "Hold on. It's always a little rough landing on the Rift. It's been years since I've done it."

They landed with little trouble though and set off. The Doctor led her to an unassuming looking area and just stood still, making sure that Tori was right next to him. All of a sudden the sidewalk they were standing on started lowering itself down into the ground. Tori glanced around in surprise, but kept quiet. The lift stopped inside a building full of computers. Tori looked up and saw a man looking at her and the Doctor with a strange smile on his face.

The Doctor glared at the man, the gestured to the room. "Welcome to the Torchwood Hub, Tori." Then he glanced at the man. "How long has it been, Jack?"

"A century and a half, give or take a decade or two. Nice to see you again, Doctor."

Tori glanced up quickly at the name 'Jack' then looked at the Doctor. Waiting.

"Tori, I'd like you to meet your great, etc., grandfather. Jack Harkness."

Tori and Jack looked at each other in surprise. "What?" they said in unison.

"Jack, you just couldn't help yourself could you? Had to find a way to join our genetics."

Jack glanced at Tori. "What do you mean, Doctor?

"Tori is the granddaughter of my granddaughter. Her mother was a descendent of yours too. Marie Green." The Doctor said with an annoyed tone. "Her full name is Arkytior, which is High Gallifreyan for roses."

Jack visibly jerked at the word 'roses' and glanced at the Doctor.

"How can he be the same Jack, Granddad?" Tori asked him, "He's human and lived generations ago."

"Care to explain, Jack? And explain why you don't already know about her while you're at it."

Jack looked at the Doctor, then looked at Tori and gave her a smile. "I AM human, Tori, but when I was traveling with the Doctor I died, but his companion, Rose, brought me back to life. Except she accidentally made it permanent. I'm aging, but very slowly. I don't know how long I will live."

"So you really ARE my ancestor?" Tori said, breathlessly.

"It would seem so."

The Doctor cleared his throat and looked at Jack, expectantly.

"As my kids aged, I stayed basically the same. After a while I became 'cousin' instead of 'Dad', then 'Nephew' after that. When my granddaughter got engaged, she decided that our relationship was too complicated, so I promised to stay away. I tried to keep tabs on everyone, but I never knew Marie had had a child. I was at her funeral, but all I knew about her death was 'complications from surgery'. She had a cesarean I take it?" He asked, looking at Tori. She nodded.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I would have been there, had I known." He reached out and pulled Tori into a hug.

"So we share a granddaughter then, Doctor?" Jack asked with a smirk.

"Shut up, Jack." The Doctor growled.

Tori looked up at the Doctor's tone. "I thought you two were friends, Granddad?"

The Doctor sighed and looked at Jack.

"We are, Tori. It's just difficult for the Doctor to be around me. I'm a fixed point that shouldn't exist, so it's hard for him to be around me." Jack explained, "He's a lot grumpier than the last time I saw him though. What a dashing man he was then. Your 10th incarnation, wasn't it?" Jack asked him.

"Yeah. Thin, suits, fondness for my hair. Liked myself so much I regenerated but kept the same face." The Doctor said looking at Tori. He glanced at Jack, "How'd you know it was me, anyway?"

"I picked up the TARDIS on a tracking program I have here and who else would come out of there?" Jack told him with a grin.

Tori giggled. "So I have two Granddad's then?"

"Looks that way, kid." Jack said with a grin. "What are you going to call me, then?"

"I don't know. At least the Doctor looks old enough to be my Granddad." Tori said with a laugh. "How about Gramps? That way I'm not calling you two by the same name."

"Gramps it is." Jack said, hugging her again. "Why don't you two come on in and relax for a while. I'm the only one here for a couple days."

The Doctor looked at Tori's excited face and sighed. "Fine. Just let me go get the TARDIS and bring it inside." He watched as Jack started showing Tori around, then went back up on the lift to go get his blue box.


End file.
